Children and community: Progressing through partnership. Summary report and conclusions

Abstract

This report focuses on children and the community. Fr. Gerard Pantin, the keynote speaker, discusses the helper's role in community development. The seminar summary and recommendations are divided into three sections: Section 1 concerns the management of the social and physical environment of the young child and the family. It stresses the importance of community programmes and local empowerment in easing the stresses of changing family roles; Section 2 explores ways of caring for and educating the young child. These include quality day care programmes, home care, play groups, and programmes for teenaged mothers and hard-to-reach families; Section 3 discusses the process of sharing and implementing a new model of early childhood education and care. Factors that may affect implementation of the model include available resources, networking, steps in the process, evaluation, advocacy and cooperation